Term 1 - Maths Teaching and Learning

What Went Well

At the beginning of Term 1, we grouped the Learners in LH2 according to their 2015 GLoSS test. This worked well as instructional lessons were purposeful and meeting the needs of the Learners.   There was also an opportunity for cross-grouping during independent learning when the Learners can choose maths games, iPad apps and Mathletics to play with others who are not in their own maths group.  It's great to hear the conversations, observing and questioning taking place during this independent learning.

There is a lot of excitement to use the iPads and often Learners will try to stay on much longer than they are expected to.

Even Better

Recent GLoSS assessment indicated that many of the Learners in my maths group are starting to use imagery far more than they did at the end of last year.   

It took some time, but I feel that we are finally making headway and most Learners are understanding the expectations during maths.   After the warm-up, my maths group view the timetable so that they know when they are with me (and what we will be learning), others know if they are using the iPads (for Mathletics) and the third group are completing follow-up or independent activities.

Daily 3

We started providing Learners with choice at the beginning of the year, but it soon became apparent that having 86 (and growing) Learners going to a 'choice' board at once was not only chaotic, but also wasted a lot of learning time.

It was decided that we would start each maths session with a warm-up activity with our group of Learners and then each Learning Coach direct small groups of Learners to either an independent game, iPad or workshop.   This has enabled the Learners to know what they need to be doing first and gives us an anchor to come back to, should the Learner not be doing the right thing.